A principled design framework for college admissions tests: An affirming research agenda.

Abstract

The debate over affirmative action policies in higher education has called into question the role of standardized tests in the admissions process. These developments suggest to some that future generations of college admissions tests ought to capitalize on advances in psychological theory to broaden and deepen what it is that admissions tests presumably measure. The author argues that to remain relevant in the educational environment(s) of the future, succeeding generations of college admissions tests must capture the promise of advances in psychology, measurement science, and technology so as to foster access and equity and further ensure the role of cognitive ability testing in the college admissions process. The author outlines a generative research agenda designed to advance a more principled test design framework in the future.